This month's Spiritual Journey Thursday host, Ramona, has given us the topic of Rhythm. She wrote, "I would love to hear about rhythms that work for you, the rhythms that ground you in your spiritual life, or anything that pops into your mind relating to rhythm."
We're gradually getting back into our rhythms at the school in Uganda where I work. It's week four, so you'd think we'd have everything figured out by now, but I for one do not. This year I'm not teaching an AP class, so I have months to learn about the changes in the AP French exam. I had space on my calendar from the beginning to devote to this project, but it wasn't until yesterday (Wednesday) that I actually started. I'm going to have my first official observation tomorrow (Friday), but I'm still adjusting to all the new students I have, and trying to find out what they can and can't do. I'm part of the team working on the high school play, but we haven't had a rehearsal yet where everyone was present.
So yeah, sort of back in the rhythms and sort of not.
One thing that came to mind when Ramona mentioned the word Rhythm was that our middle schoolers are getting ready for Ugandan Independence Day, coming up on October 9th. They are going to be performing some traditional dances from different parts of the country at our school celebration on the 8th, before we go on our October break. And when they are practicing, the drums sound out throughout the neighbourhood. You want to talk about rhythm? These percussionists have it! My classroom is on the other side of the street that cuts our campus in two, but for the people trying to teach in the same building as the drummers: good luck with that! It's better just to stop trying to make yourself heard by your students and surrender to the rhythm!
Sometimes that's how it is with spiritual rhythms too. There are seasons when we are in control of our calm devotional moments, and then there are others when the rhythms are bigger than we are. We have to stay on our feet -- or our knees -- as best as we can. Other metaphors we could use instead of the enormously loud drumming might be stormy seas or earthquakes or even flash floods like the horrific scenes we've been seeing in Nepal. When we're in a crisis, either one that's visible to everyone else or one that's only inside of our own souls, the rhythm can overwhelm.
Whether you're in control of the rhythm or the rhythm is in control of you, I wish all my SJT buddies a great school year. I'm glad we can trust that God is bigger than all of it!
You have me thinking about the control of the rhythm and whether we have it or it has us. That is a powerful thought. I constantly try to manage life and its routines and details, and it can be so frustrating when the Good Lord allows curve balls to take me on detours to see things in a different light. You remind me to see this as part of the rhythm of things with a greater purpose than my feeble brain can fathom.
ReplyDeleteDespite our constant efforts, we are never really in control. The Lord asks that we submit to rhythms that may be different from the ones we choose. I liked your reference to the drumming in preparation for an upcoming celebration. I wish I could listen to the rhythm (without having to worry about a class being disrupted)! Thanks for your faith that we can trust in God, despite desperate world conditions.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's beautiful if you're not trying to compete with it! :-)
DeleteRuth, it seems to me that when we try to go against God's rhythm, that is when we get lost and can't seem to find our way. The drummers make me think tat sometimes when God is trying to tell us His will, we try to talk above Him and miss out on His plan for us. As Ramona said, despite the conditions of the world today, we can and must put our faith and trust in God. Bob
ReplyDeleteOoh boy..."when the rhythms are bigger than we are" -- that hits home, Ruth. I'm learning to let the rhythms be what they will be and lean into them. Thank you for this reflection.
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